When choosing the best metal roof option for your home, one of the most exciting parts of the process is selecting a color. With seemingly endless design possibilities, metal roofs provide color options based on the pigment that is in your exterior roof coating. However, not every color works best for metal roofing. Some colors provide benefits that others do not; and others clash with your home’s design. To find the best color, it is important to assess your home’s aesthetic, your goals, and the benefits that each color can provide.
In This Article
Assess Your Home Design
Before selecting a roof color, you need to consider your home’s design. If your roof doesn’t match the overall style of your home, it can look awkward and out of place. Take note of:
· Architectural style. Is it Spanish-inspired, colonial, or a rustic farmhouse? Whatever the style, consider what colors match that style. Brick red looks wonderful on Spanish-style homes. A deep neutral can add to your farmhouse’s rustic design. A crisp white roof would add clean lines to your colonial home.
· Colors. This includes the walls, siding, doors, window frames, garage, and even the landscape. Make sure you choose a color that would look good with the others. A black roof on a brown house, for example, could look drab and dull. A white roof on a brown house could add brightness.
After assessing your home design, you can make a list of colors that would work well on your roof. Bring this list to your metal roofer to see if they carry your desired color. Pick one you like – metal roofs can last for a very long time.
Examine Roof Color Trends
If you’re unsure where to start in your color decisions, examine trends in metal roof colors. Searching for metal roof designs on Google Images or Pinterest can help you get a sense of what types of colors people lean toward. You can search to find a home with a similar design or color scheme to help you visualize what your home would look like.
Another great way to get color inspiration is to take a drive around your neighborhood. What color roofs do your neighbors have? Are there any similarly designed homes to your own? If a certain color combination catches your eye, take note!
Test Out the Colors
Visit your local paint or home improvement store to pick up some free paint swatches to bring home and brainstorm. Once you have an idea of what colors you’d like on your roof, go to the store and collect different shades of those colors. To help you visualize what your home would look like with different roof colors take your swatches outside and hold them up next to your home.
Do certain colors clash? Do some colors make your home pop, while others don’t look quite right? Make note of these and separate your swatches into yes, no, and maybe piles. You can take your favorite swatches to your metal roofer to see if they have a similar color available.
Consider Practical Factors
The color of your metal roof matters for more than just aesthetic or stylistic value. Color can also impact your home’s overall value and energy efficiency. For example, if your metal roof is an unattractive color or clashes with the rest of your home or neighborhood, your home’s property value can drop. However, if your metal roof is the perfect color and adds beauty and brightness to your property, your property value can increase.
In terms of energy efficiency, it comes down to science. Lighter colors reflect sun better than darker colors, which absorb the sun’s rays. If you live in a hot, sunny climate, it is best to choose a light color for your metal roof. This will decrease the amount of solar heat that your roof absorbs, regulating your indoor temperature so you don’t have to constantly blast your air conditioning.
Good color options include:
If you live in a colder climate or your home has good insulation and attic ventilation, a darker color won’t impact your home’s energy bills. Even in a hotter, sunnier climate, modern roofing technology can boost energy efficiency for darkly colored roofs. If you really want a certain dark color, you should inquire with your metal roofer about that color’s energy efficiency rating.
Need assistance picking the best color for your home’s metal roof? Contact Erie Metal Roofs today to schedule a free consultation with one of our metal roofing experts and to receive a pricing estimate. We can help you find the best color, design, and materials for your metal roof to create your dream home design.